Free Basic Strategy

Welcome!
Thanks for trying the free version of the Automatic Poker basic strategy, a
fully chart-based short stacking system. I am glad you have taken your first
step toward cash game success. This step-by-step guide will walk you
through how to use the charts and implement the strategy.

The first version of the basic strategy was first introduced in my book in
2012. Since then, I have worked hard on improving it. In 2017, I decided to
overhaul it to make it both more effective and easier to use. To that end, I
recruited a trio of players to conduct some tests on it. After each round of
testing, I would tweak things and bit and retest. The results from the last
round is shown in the graph below.

Combined graph of the Automatic Poker basic strategy beta testers

No other poker strategy allows players to follow a simple chart, click some
buttons, and win money. This isn't rocket science, it's just fundamentals. All
it takes is time and practice and you can succeed in cash games too.

Have fun learning the strategy and good luck at the tables!
Introduction
This basic strategy has been developed, beta tested, and improved over
several years and is one of the fastest ways to learn and get better at poker.

After trying it out for awhile, you may have some questions or just want to
speed up the learning process. If so, be sure to check out
automaticpoker.com/academy. I created the academy specifically to help
people fast track their poker learning. But first, let's go through what the
Automatic Poker strategy is and make sure it's a good fit for you.

By the way, for newer players, I have made an effort to keep the
complicated jargon in this guide to a minimum. However, if there is a word
that you don’t know it may be found in the poker dictionary located at
automaticpoker.com/glossary.

What Exactly Is the Basic

Strategy?
My goal in creating this basic cash game system is to provide a no-frills
method that is derived directly from the fundamentals of poker. The
strategy immediately removes many of the common mistakes that players
make. It provides a strong foundation in poker and a solid starting point that
can help you begin your incremental journey toward being a stronger
player.

The ranges and lines of play provided by the basic strategy are designed to
serve as a vacuum or “readless” poker blueprint. The goal is that, once you
have this system down, you will find that the vast majority of your poker
decisions will become automatic.

The importance of having a strong vacuum strategy cannot be overstated.

You will find that mastering a solid default method will pay dividends over
the long term. Later, once you start incorporating reads on other players,
you will be able to either expand or reduce the frequencies of your default
hand ranges in a systematic manner. The sky is the limit for how far you can
take this.

Who the Strategy Is For

Automatic Poker can help anyone improve. You might be:
* Fairly new to poker and looking to get started in cash games
* Wanting to try short stacking for the first time
* Transitioning from tournaments or SNGs to cash games and used to
having less than 50 big blind stacks
* A struggling player who is looking to rebuild his or her game

No matter what your reason for requesting this free guide, I genuinely want
to help you improve and achieve your poker goals. Automatic Poker is a
strategy that focuses on getting results. Now, let's get to it!
Introduction to the Basic Charts
The charts below will act as your "cheat sheet" to the strategy. They will
show you exactly what to do in nearly every scenario that you might
encounter. I will cover a few gray area situations later on in the guide.

On the left hand side is the pre-flop chart. The right side covers post-flop

Getting Setup
Along with the guide, I included an image file of the chart. I suggest
integrating it into your desktop for easy reference while you play, as shown
below. It will make your life a lot easier.

Feel free to copy my design, which I have found to be efficient, or come up with your own custom setup.

Embedding the charts is easy:

1. Open up a few poker tables and arrange them on your desktop as
desired. Leave space above or underneath to fit the charts.
2. Hit Print Screen on your keyboard and paste into a paint file. You should
see your entire desktop. You may need to zoom out a bit.
3. Open the charts in paint and copy it. Paste the charts onto your desktop
in the desktop paint file and place it in the desired position.
4. In the desktop paint file, delete everything on the desktop except the
chart. Save the file.
5. Right click the desktop paint file and "Set as desktop background." You
should now see your charts perfectly placed on your desktop.
How to Use the Basic Pre-Flop Chart

Step #1: Establish the Situation

When it's your turn to act, use the far left column to establish the situation.

Line 1: Used when the pot is unopened

When there have been no limps or raises, this row tells you whether or
not to open raise. By the way, if you see an X before a number, it
designates the lowest kicker in a range that includes both suited and
unsuited. For example, X9 includes all non-pair hands where the kicker
is at least a 9. This would include K9s+, Q9s+, J9s+, T9s+, T9s, K9o+,
Q9o+, J9o+, T9o+, and T9o+.
Line 2: When to limp
Most of your limps will be while seated in the Small Blind. There will be
no limping from any other position, with the exception of Ace King.
While Under The Gun or in the Hijack you will go for a limp-raise with
AK only. Also, you will only limp in the SB when someone else has
already limped. Otherwise, you raise if it is unopened. You do not
isolate limpers from the blinds; you limp, shove, or fold.
Line 3: Gives you the hands to shove over limpers
If you hold a hand listed on the chart, you can shove all your chips in. If
you do not have a hand that can shove, you can instead raise to 4 big
blinds (isolate) with your UTG/HJ range of 55,AT,XJT. By the way, XJT
means all hands with a unsuited kicker Jack or better and all suited
hands with a Ten kicker or better. So 55+, ATo+, ATs+, KJo+, KTs+,
QJo, QTs+, JTs.
Line 4: Your 3-bet shoving range (no small 3-bets)
The designated ranges are only used when another player has open-
raised UTG or from the HJ. Resteals are handled on line 5.
Line 5: Your restealing range (3-bets vs. a steal)
This is what you 3-bet versus another player who has raised from the
Cutoff, Button, or Small Blind. Note: On the Button, you tighten up and
only shove 88+ and AJs+.
Line 6: Covers what range to 4-bet after you get 3-bet
Note: If there is a 3-bet before the action gets to you, only 4-bet with
QQ+ (Yes, fold AK). However, if the 3-bet was a resteal, you can 4-bet
shove with TT+ and AQ+.
How to Use the Basic Pre-Flop Chart

Step #2: Choose the Appropriate Action

Once you've figured out the situation, you then take the appropriate action
with the hand range in the corresponding box under the correct column
based on your position.

There are only three columns in the basic strategy, each covering one or
more positions. Under the Gun and the Hijack seats are combined, the
Cutoff has its own column, and the Button, Small Blind, and Big Blind are
grouped together.

That is it for the pre-flop chart! It’s hard it believe it's that easy right? Here
are 4 examples, in case it isn't perfectly clear:
1. Let’s say it folds to you in the Cutoff and you look down at K8o. Since it
is unopened, you look at line 1 and move across to CO and see a range
of 22+, Ax, X9. That means you are supposed to open min raise a pair
of deuces and better, any Ace with any kicker, and any hand with a 9
kicker or higher. Fold all other hands. Since you hold K8o but need K9
or better, you kick your cards into the muck and move on. Easy stuff,
right? And very easy to memorize.
2. You are in the small blind and there are 2 limpers before you act. You
look down at 77. Checking the chart, you first check "SHV LIMPS" to
see if you can profitably shove all in over the top of them. You look to
the right in the "BTN/BLINDS" column and see a range of 88+, AQ+.
Oops, you only have 77. So you move down one row to see if you can
limp. The range for limping in the SB is 22+, Ax, and X7... so, yes, you
can. Oh wait, that's the same exact range you can open raise from the
SB with! How convenient, and so easy to remember (This is not a
cooincidence).
3. Here it gets slightly tricky (but not really). The UTG player open raises
and you have 88 on the button. You check line 4 of the chart.. wait
which column do I look at? Is it my position or his??? The chart always
refers to the position you are seated in. You check the “BTN/BLINDS”
column and the range is 99+, AQ+. So you fold your eights.
4. The Cutoff open raises and is 3-bet by the person in the small blind.
You are in the big blind and hold TT. Since the initial raise was a steal,
you can loosen up your 4-bet range and shove TT+, and AQ+. You
have a qualifying hand, so you shove all-in.
How to Use the Basic Post-Flop Chart

This chart will cover all post-flop situations, whether in or out of position.
Each street is set up in an X/X format. Before the slash is your action, and
after the slash is your reaction.

For example, let's say you arrive at the flop in a hand, and the chart says ½
POT/SHOVE. If it is your option, you would bet half the size of the pot and
if your bet were to get raised, you would shove all-in (or call a shove). If you
were bet into (donk bet), you would shove all-in as well.

Hand Strength Tiers

My approach for assigning specific hole cards to hand strength tiers
consists of sorting holdings into sub-groups of hand ranges and playing the
hands within each group in a similar manner. Here are the sub-groups, or
tiers:

Tier 1: Your post-flop "nut" range

These are hands that you never fold and would like to get all-in with.
Hands typically found in this range are two-pair using both cards, three of
a kind, flushes, straights, full houses, and better. Even combo draws, like
holding both a straight and flush draw, can sometimes be tier 1.

Tier 2: Strong non-nut hands

This range includes most often contain top-pair hands with a decent kicker
(9 or greater) or draws that have 8 or more outs.

Tier 3: Showdown value hands

This includes any hand that has a chance of beating an opponent's air or
bluffing range but is seldom winning versus a value range.

Tier 4: Air
This range consists of hands that have little or no showdown value and
little chance of improving by the river.
Choosing hand tiers accurately is, by far, the most challenging part of
implementing the Automatic Poker strategy. Determining your relative
hand strength based on the situation (table dynamic) is a skill that has to be
practiced and honed over time.

I will not get into relative hand strength here as it is beyond the scope of
this guide. You just need to know the basics for now, like two-pair on a 4
flush board is different than two-pair on a rainbow disconnected board. The
next page will define each tier for the purposes of the basic strategy.
How to Use the Basic Post-Flop Chart

Defining Basic Hand Strength Tiers

For the purposes of the Basic Chart, here is how I want you to define each
tier:

Tier 1: Your post-flop "nut" range

Two-pair and better and combo draws. Examples include two-pair, sets,
straights, flushes, open-ended straight flush draws, and two overcards with
a flush draw.

Tier 2: Strong non-nut hands

Top pair decent kicker (9 plus), and 8+ out draws, such as 2 card flush
draws, 1 card nut flush draws, open-ended straight draws, and two big
over cards with a gutshot straight draw.

Tier 3: Showdown value hands

Bottom pair, middle pair, and top pair bad kicker.

Tier 4: Air
Everything else.

Keep in mind that the post flop chart is only for heads up pots. Multi-way,
we don't c-bet bluff our tier 4 (air hands) at all. For now, we just check and
give up, whether in or out of position.

Once you have assigned your holding to a tier, it makes planning the hand
much easier. You simply follow the line of play on the chart by tier, given
the variables. Keep in mind that your hand tier is decided on a street-by-
street basis. Your hand can be tier 1 on the flop and tier 2 or 3 by the river.
Also, your hand can be tier 4 on the flop, and then become tier 1, 2, or 3 by
the river.

♠♣ ♦♦♥
For example, take the hand A A on an A 5 7 board. You
currently have the nuts and thus have a tier 1 hand. Let's say the turn is a
♦
9 . You no longer have the nuts, but your hand is still strong. It is likely
that, if you were to get all-in on the turn, your hand would frequently be
behind. Therefore, your hand would now be tier 2. However, on a board
pairing river, you would once again have a tier 1 hand since you would
have a full house. Alternatively, if the river were another diamond, or even
a 6 or 8, then you would just have a tier 3 showdown value hand.
Chart Clarifications
Here are a few things people commonly ask about:

Playing Ace King in Early Position

You will notice that I want you to limp AK Under The Gun and in the
Hijack. This is to go for a limp-shove. AK is tricky to play post-flop since
you will often miss the board. Limping and going for a reraise shove
eliminates this issue.

Playing Limped Pots After the Flop

The chart is designed to work in raised pots only. Ranges work a bit
differently in limped pots, since you can expect to see a stronger
committing range from opponents in limped pots. In fact, if the money
goes on the flop in a limped pot, top pair will often be no good. The fact is,
you need a much more robust hand to commit when in a limped pot.

Here are a few adjustments to make in limped pots:

Treat all your T2 top pair hands and draws as tier 3.
If you flop two pair or better or a strong combo draw (flush draw and
straight draw), go for a check-shove.
If you flop a T3 or T4 hand and are heads up out of position, lead out
as per the chart. However, in multi-way pots with 3 total players or
more, check-fold.
If you are in the big blind and get led into on the flop, shove all of your
T1 hands and fold T3/T4 hands. If you have a T2 hand it gets a bit
tricky, but I tend to min raise in this situation. This works great for
getting a free card for your draws, while defining your hand with your
made hands. You can safely fold the flop to a reraise or check back
turns and then call river bets.

Flat Calling Raises Pre-flop

You may have noticed that there is no line on the chart for calling pre-flop
opens. The reason is that this strategy is designed to follow the
fundamentals of poker exactly (playing in position, with initiative, and
applying pressure.) The basic strategy is just supposed to be a starting
point.. once these principles are mastered, the goal is to add in more
advanced plays (like calling) later on, as you go. Trust me, pre-flop calling is
only a small piece of the puzzle on making a profit in poker. I once went 3
years without making a single pre-flop call (except with a monster hand)
and was a big winner.

Adjusting for 9-Handed Play

The strategy also works well for 9-handed full-ring play. Just open raise a
tighter range from the first 3 positions, maybe something like 88, AJ. Also,
continue limp-shoving AK, but 3-bet JJ, AK, and 4-bet QQ+. Everything
else should be the same.
Chart Clarifications
Here are 4 things people commonly ask about:

1. Which hands are in the UTG/HJ "55,AT,XJT" hand range?

I explained this earlier, but just want to clarify how this works for those
that may not be used to this method of hand range shorthand.

Early position ranges include all unsuited hands with a Jack kicker or better
and all suited hands with a Ten kicker or better, shown below. 55+ is also
in this range, of course.

2. What should be my opening raise size?

The default open raise size is 2 times the big blind (2x). However, if your
stack is above 35 big blinds, it's okay to raise 2.5x or even 3x. The exact
sizing should not have a big impact on your win-rate at the micro-stakes.

3. What is a steal?
This comes into play when you are deciding whether to use the 3-Bet or
Resteal row.

A steal is any open raise from the Cutoff, Button, or Small blind. The word
steal is a bit misleading, since it implies that you are doing something
sneaky or underhanded. While the terminology was coined in reference to
someone raising a weak hand to just try to "steal" the blinds, all the term
means now is that you are open raising when there at almost all of the
seats left have a blind posted in front of them.

4. Can I limp on the button?

While the BTN/Blinds column includes a limping range, you should only be
limping from the Small Blind. While there may be some instances where
you would limp on the Button, for the purposes of the basic strategy just
stick to SB limps.
Keys to Success in Using the Charts
To maximize your chances of success, here are a few things to consider:

1. Give the charts a chance- Trust the charts, they are proven to be
profitable at the micro stakes (and sometimes higher) so do not vary
from them unless instructed to do so. Everything they tell you to do will
be +EV nearly every time. They are mathematically sound and will
effectively strip all of the -EV fluff out of anyone's game instantly.
2. Make your best guess and move on if you are ever unsure about any
situation. Also, check out the “chart clarifications” section above, the
question may be answered.
3. Memorize the chart- As you play, try to think of the correct play, and
then glance at the chart to see if you got it right. Do this on every hand
and you will learn in no time.
4. Buy in for 30 to 40 big blinds, whichever the poker site allows. The
chart is effective for any stack between 20 and 45 big blinds. Leave a
table once your stack exceeds 45 to 50 big blinds, unless you are a
competent mid/full-stacker.

To succeed, the most important thing you can do is to closely follow the
charts. The few times that people have written and told me they weren't
doing well, I reviewed their stats and found one thing in common. 100% of
the time they were constantly varying from the charts instead of trusting
them. To maximize your chance of success, stay disciplined!

Final Thoughts
While I offer no guarantees, when used properly this strategy has been
proven effective at the micro-stakes on all poker sites I have played and
even small stakes on some sites. I have also received anecdotal evidence
that, with some adapatations, it crushes live play at 200NL.

Just keep in mind that the basic charts are not designed to be used long-
term. In fact, you should be striving to move on to read-based play, like my
intermediate strategy, as soon as possible. The free basic strategy is only a
starting point meant as an introduction to the Automatic Poker method.

Ultimately, being a big winner at poker takes patience, studious learning,

and time. While my strategy is one of the simplest and fastest routes to
profit, you still have to do the work.

If you enjoy this style of play and want to take it to the next level, be sure
to check out my online poker academy. Students can get access to the full
version of the basic chart, which includes out of position post-flop lines,
courses, and access to a knowledgeable community forum. The academy
is perfect for those that want to improve faster and get you hands on help.
Find out more info at automaticpoker.com/academy.

Thanks for reading and good luck in your journey to maximum profit!
Example Results
Here are a few graphs from players who have used the basic strategy. The
first is of my my own tests while creating this guide. The rest were posted
by students on the Automatic Poker Forum: